Kansas Daycare Closed Due to Alleged Spanking of Infants

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Kansas state officials shut down a Manhattan daycare over reports of excessive disciplinary measures. A regional administrator recommended the facility’s operations be suspended during an investigation into charges that infants were being inappropriately disciplined.

A Troubled Past The state suspended the license of Mary Ellen Hagemaier, who runs the daycare, and closed the facility. She has been found in violation before and failed to complete a training program ordered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

Daycare Woes in the U.S. With roughly half the workforce being women these days, safe and affordable daycare is a huge issue for most families. Although states license and attempt to monitor daycare providers, many children are subjected to subpar facilities and daycare providers.

Share Your Stories Tells us about your experiences with daycare. We’d especially like to hear from those who work in the industry because there are always two sides to every issue. What’s going on in terms of availability, affordability and if you’ve had a really great experience — please tell us about it.

No matter what choice you make raising your children, stay at home parent, working parents, student parents, day care/babysitters become an issue at some point. Even relatives whom you thought you could trust may turn out untrustworthy. Keep your eyes, ears and senses open. Do your home work. Don't be afraid to remove a child if you are feeling something is amiss, even if you are not sure what it is. There are great places out there, places you and your child can love to be part of.

When daycare is done well, it's really good for the child, you're socialising and having experience with other people. But it also depends how long your mum is working for. An ideal situation would be go to daycare for half the day, from 9 til 3 then a nanny takes you the rest of the day. I think the whole day is a bit too long for the kids. Maybe if u have a mum or a relative, you should pay them to take care of your children.

My experiences of daycare were pretty good, the staff didn't seem stressed. And my neighbour came and collected me coz her son was going to the same daycare which was a big help. Sometimes my aunt watched me...oh btw i was spanked once by my aunt for peeing my pants and i was very upset and i do not think i deserved it. Turns out i had a weak bladder. My aunt i guess, came from a time where spanking was alright. I wasn't doing anything wrong. After that, i never really trusted her although i still enjoyed her company. I wish she said sorry, it would've felt so much better if she said sorry after she spanked me.

Putting your children in daycare while you work does not harm them. That's a lie meant to make middle-class women feel guilty. Because if you're poor you're expected to leave your kids and take any job you can get.

This place needs to be closed if there is spanking of infants. They don't have the right to abuse any child regardless of the reason and cursing is an absolute no no. A daycare is simply that day care for children whose parents work or go to school. I am just upset that any daycare let's this happen, these children need to be cared for not neglected, cursed and/or spanked. This daycare needs to be shut down.

@Deborah Weinischke: I agree with you, i'm not having children in this messed up world. I rather adopt anyhow. but i do disagree w/ you on daycare. I was in daycare for a few months as a child while my mother was in school. it was great. I got to hang out with my friends, and we did homework together which made it soooo much more fun. i was heartbroken when i couldnt attend anymore. the people were nice and attentive. the key is to find good daycare providers. if at all possible, wait until the child is old enough to speak, so they can tell if they are being mistreated. Find a friend or a family member who may be able to watch your baby. also some schools allow children to attend early if they are potty trained. but this differs fron state to state and school to school.

in this day and age both parents have to work. having proper daycare shouldnt be a worry. parents should not have to worry if their child is being taken care of or abused. if the child is too much to handle the parents should be told of the situation. daycare providers are not the parents and is not responsible for handing out spankings.

i feel some daycare providers, is in it for the money and not the love of children. this needs to change.

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Beth is a freelance writer and editor living in the Rocky Mountain West. So far, Beth has lived in or near three major U.S. mountain ranges, and is passionate about protecting the important ecosystems they represent. Follow Beth on Twitter as @ecosphericblog or check out her blog. less